METHOD FOR REPRESENTING A VIRTUAL ELEMENT

Abstract

Technologies and techniques for representing at least one virtual element in a display area of at least one display device of a vehicle. The display area of a display device is used as efficiently as possible, so that the driver of the vehicle is afforded a clear representation of the information needed and the driver is not unnecessarily diverted, it is provided that virtual elements of at least one first vehicle are marked and represented in the display area of the display device.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A method for representing at least one virtual element in a display area of at least one display device of a vehicle, comprising: activating a three-dimensional space in the display area of the display device; based on at least one data source, determining three-dimensional coordinates in the three-dimensional space for a location of at least one virtual element; transforming the at least one virtual element as a two-dimensional depiction in the three-dimensional space; marking at least one first vehicle via the virtual element in the display area of the display device, wherein the first vehicle is marked if a predefined speed gradient between the vehicle and the first vehicle is exceeded or is not reached.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the three-dimensional coordinates of the virtual element are determined based on measuring the distance to the first vehicle.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the three-dimensional coordinates of the virtual element are determined based on a time interval to a vehicle ahead as the first vehicle.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first vehicle is marked for a predefined duration.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first vehicle is marked if a predefined difference from the relative speed between the vehicle and the first vehicle is registered.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the distance to the first vehicle is continually recorded.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the distance to the first vehicle is evaluated at least once per second.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein marking at least one first vehicle via the virtual element in the display area of the display device comprises encircling the first vehicle by the virtual element.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the virtual element comprises an orientation feature, comprising an orientation in the direction of the first vehicle.

25. A system for representing at least one virtual element for a vehicle, comprising: a display device; and a processing apparatus, operatively coupled to the display device, wherein the display device and processing apparatus are configured to activate a three-dimensional space in the display area of the display device, based on at least one data source, determine three-dimensional coordinates in the three-dimensional space for a location of at least one virtual element, transform the at least one virtual element as a two-dimensional depiction in the three-dimensional space, and mark at least one first vehicle via the virtual element in the display area of the display device, wherein the first vehicle is marked if a predefined speed gradient between the vehicle and the first vehicle is exceeded or is not reached.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the three-dimensional coordinates of the virtual element are determined based on measuring the distance to the first vehicle.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the three-dimensional coordinates of the virtual element are determined based on a time interval to a vehicle ahead as the first vehicle.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the first vehicle is marked for a predefined duration.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the first vehicle is marked if a predefined difference from the relative speed between the vehicle and the first vehicle is registered by a sensor.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the distance to the first vehicle is continually recorded by the sensor.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the distance to the first vehicle is evaluated at least once per second.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the display device and processing apparatus are configured to mark at least one first vehicle via the virtual element in the display area of the display device by encircling the first vehicle by the virtual element.

33. The system of claim 25, wherein the virtual element comprises an orientation feature, comprising an orientation in the direction of the first vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] The present disclosure will hereinafter be explained in exemplary embodiments using the associated drawings. These show:

[0043] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a method pursuant to the present disclosure for representing a virtual element;

[0044] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic representation of a further exemplary embodiment of the method pursuant to the present disclosure; and

[0045] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic representation of the sequence of an exemplary embodiment of the method pursuant to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] FIG. 1 shows schematically the representation of a virtual element 10 in the display area 12 of a display device 14. In the display area 12, a three-dimensional space 18 is shown from the perspective of a vehicle 16. The virtual element 10 is represented, where possible in correct perspective, by a two-dimensional depiction 20 in the display area 12. For this, based on at least one data source, three-dimensional coordinates for the location of the virtual element 10 are determined. The three-dimensional coordinates should specify where exactly the two-dimensional depiction 20 must be located so that the most realistic possible impression is created that the two-dimensional depiction 20 is perceived as contact-analogous, e.g., as part of the environment.

[0047] In this exemplary embodiment the display area 12 of the display device 14 is configured as a head-up display. By means of the head-up display the driver of the vehicle 16 can maintain his head position or line of sight because the information is projected into his visual field on the vehicle's windshield. The three-dimensional space 18 represented in the display area 12 of the display device 14 in a head-up display is to be equated with the view through the windshield. Consequently, the three-dimensional space 18 is the space in front of the vehicle 16 in the driver's focus.

[0048] In FIG. 1 it may be seen that a first vehicle 22 in the display area 12 of the display device 14 is at least partially represented. In this case the first vehicle 22 is the vehicle 24 that is driving ahead of the vehicle 16. The first vehicle 22 is perspectively so far away from the vehicle 16 that in the display area 12 of the display device 14 it is represented so far above that the representation lies only partially in the display area 12.

[0049] In this exemplary embodiment, the virtual element 10 is configured as a directional arrow with an orientation feature 26 in the form of an arrow point. The directional arrow is oriented in the direction of the first vehicle 22 so that the arrow points to the first vehicle 22. In this exemplary embodiment of the method the virtual element 10 is used to mark a vehicle ahead 24 as soon as it can be represented at least partially in the display area 12 of the display device 14.

[0050] In FIG. 2 a further exemplary embodiment of the method pursuant to the present disclosure is represented. Analogously to FIG. 1, a first vehicle 22 or a vehicle ahead 24 is represented in the display area 12 of the display device 14. In contrast to FIG. 1, the first vehicle 22 is represented entirely in the display area 12 of the display device 14. In this exemplary embodiment the virtual element 10 is represented as bordering the first vehicle 22, so that the first vehicle 22 can be actively marked. In this manner it is made clear to the driver of the vehicle that a vehicle ahead 24 was recognized.

[0051] In the present case the distance between the vehicle 16 and the vehicle ahead 24 is continually measured. At time intervals of approx. 500 ms the data measured are evaluated. In addition, the so-called “adaptive cruise control (ACC)” assistance system is linked to the marking of the vehicle ahead 24 by means of the virtual element 10. With the adaptive cruise control it is possible for the driver to maintain required distances to the vehicle ahead 24. Here the appropriate distance to the vehicle ahead 24 and/or the time interval can be taken into account. By means of the time gap adjustment the driver of the vehicle 16 can, for example, choose from among five levels that each result in a different distance from the vehicle ahead 24. In accordance with the designation of time gaps, each level is defined by a specific time interval to the vehicle ahead 24, such as 1 s. The distance to be maintained, which may be represented in the display field of the display device as a contact-analogous line, is calculated from the actual speed as well as the time gaps. Other representations are also conceivable.

[0052] In combination with the marking of the vehicle ahead 24, through the adaptive cruise control a visualization of the vehicle ahead 24 recorded is made possible. Through the marking of the vehicle ahead 24 in combination with the adaptive cruise control, the driver of the vehicle 16 can understand that a vehicle ahead is being recognized by the assistance system.

[0053] In addition, in this exemplary embodiment the driver of the vehicle 16 has multiple options as to the extent to which the marking of the vehicle ahead 24 should take place. For one thing, the marking of the vehicle 16 can take place by means of the virtual element 10, as soon as a vehicle ahead 24 is recognized by sensors that use, among other things, the adaptive cruise control, and is at least partially represented in the display area 12 of the display device 14. Moreover, it is possible that the marking of the vehicle ahead 24 takes place only if a predefined difference from the relative speed between the vehicle 16 and the first vehicle 22 is registered.

[0054] In some examples, the vehicle ahead 24 may be marked by means of the virtual element 10 only if a predefined speed gradient between the vehicle 16 and the vehicle ahead 24 is exceeded. Thus the vehicle ahead 24 is marked by means of the virtual element 10 only if it is relevant for the driver of the vehicle 16. The speed gradient describes the momentary change in the relative speeds of the vehicle 16 and the vehicle ahead 24. If the speed gradient changes, this may mean that the vehicle ahead 24 is braking, by means of which there may be a risk of collision by the vehicle 16 with the vehicle ahead 24. Therefore the driver of the vehicle 16 is alerted to the fact that a change in the speed gradient was registered in that the vehicle ahead 24 is marked by means of the virtual element 10.

[0055] Due to the linking with the adaptive cruise control, the vehicle 16 is correspondingly slowed down on its own in order to continue to maintain the required distance of the vehicle 16 from the vehicle ahead 24. By means of the marking of the vehicle ahead 24 in the display area 12 of the display device 14, the driver is alerted to the fact that the adaptive cruise control has correctly registered the braking action of the vehicle ahead 24 and initiated appropriate countermeasures. In this manner the driver of the vehicle 16 is afforded the feeling of safety.

[0056] FIG. 3 shows the schematic representation of the step-by-step execution of an exemplary embodiment of a method pursuant to the present disclosure. In Step 100, using sensors or other available data, for example GPS data is recorded. In Step 102 the distance recorded and corresponding changes to the distance between the vehicle 16 and the vehicle ahead 24 are evaluated. If it is determined from the evaluation that there is no change to, for example, the aforementioned speed gradients, then the loop is continued and the distance in Step 100 between the vehicle 16 and the vehicle ahead 24 continues to be measured.

[0057] If a change to the speed gradients is determined, then in Step 104 it is verified whether the vehicle ahead is represented in the display area 12 of the display device 14. If this is the case, then the vehicle ahead represented in the display area 12 of the display device 14 is marked in Step 106 by means of a virtual element 10 so that the driver of the vehicle 16 is alerted to the fact that heightened attentiveness is needed.

[0058] The vehicle ahead 24 is marked as long as the corresponding precondition for the marking is fulfilled by the virtual element 10. As soon as, for example, there is no further change to the speed gradients and the potential danger situation is over, the marking of the vehicle ahead 24 can be removed by the virtual element 10, so that the driver of the vehicle 16 is not unnecessarily diverted by the display area 12 of the display device 14.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0059] 10 virtual element [0060] 12 display area [0061] 14 display device [0062] 16 vehicle [0063] 18 three-dimensional space [0064] 20 two-dimensional depiction [0065] 22 first vehicle [0066] 24 vehicle ahead [0067] 26 orientation feature